Emergency Medicine

When Seconds Matter

Emergency medical care is a critical component of every community’s healthcare system, and Froedtert South offers outstanding, comprehensive emergency service in both Kenosha and Pleasant Prairie.

Our team of physicians – trained at prestigious universities like UCLA, Northwestern and the University of Chicago – has been practicing and improving the quality of the community’s emergency care for more than two decades. Our emergency rooms are equipped to deal with any kind of injury,
heart attack, stroke and other sudden illnesses that require immediate treatment.

The Froedtert South emergency rooms are open around the clock and are located at:

What to Expect at the Emergency Room

When you arrive at either of our emergency departments, a specially trained nurse will check your vital signs, evaluate your condition and ask about your health history. This process is called “triage,” a French word meaning “to sort by priority.” It ensures that
the most seriously ill and injured
patients are seen first.

After seeing the triage nurse and providing some basic information about yourself, you may be asked to wait in the waiting room. How long you wait depends on how busy the department is at the time and the number of patients whose conditions are more serious than yours. Sometimes the waiting area appears quiet, but this doesn’t mean the emergency department is quiet.

Our team understands that waiting can be frustrating. They do their best to keep your wait to a minimum and make you comfortable. While you wait, if you feel your condition changes, let the triage nurse know.

When it is your turn, a staff member will call you into the department to reassess your condition, ask some questions, examine you, and discuss your problem and any tests or treatments that might be required. Feel free to ask questions about your illness and your treatment at that time.

Things to Tell the Emergency Staff

The emergency department staff may not be aware of your medical background, so they ask many questions. Sometimes, this needs to be done by more than one health care worker. To help them assess and treat you, tell them honestly and to your best recall about:

Any health problems you have or have had in the past

All drugs and treatments you are using

Allergies

Any recent trips overseas

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding

Any other facts they should know about

It is helpful to bring an accurate list of your medications and doses, although we realize that might not be possible when you are thinking about rushing to the hospital.

If your problem can be treated in the department, the emergency staff will treat it. They might also suggest treatment at home or by your local doctor. If your problem is more serious or requires special care, you may be admitted into the hospital.

Common Emergency Room Questions and Answers

How long can I expect to be in the emergency department?

The best care takes time. Patients with life-threatening conditions such as a stroke or heart attack are seen first. Once in the treatment area, average stays are approximately three hours for patients who are then released directly and five hours for patients who are admitted to the hospital. Your total stay may depend on your symptoms, illness and whether you have to be admitted to the hospital. Also, if the emergency physician consults with a specialist or you have special tests and X-rays taken, your stay might be longer.

How long does it take to get laboratory and X-ray results?

To accurately diagnose your condition, we may need time to perform, process and review lab tests and X-rays. Most of these take approximately two hours, but some take longer.

Will I be admitted to the hospital?

If the emergency team believes it is the best way to help you, we will consult with your primary care physician to recommend that you be admitted to hospital. As your admission was unplanned and thus unscheduled, it may take extra time to prepare the most appropriate hospital bed for your medical condition. Sometimes, the emergency staff might need to transfer you to another hospital for treatment. Until a transfer takes place, the emergency team will continue to care for you.

What if I want to leave?

Your health is important to us, so even if you feel better, we want you to stay and be seen by a doctor so we can make sure your medical needs are met. If you choose to leave the emergency department against medical advice, your insurance company might not cover your visit. It is important to let the staff know if you choose to leave.

Can I have visitors in the emergency department?

Family members or friends are welcome to stay in the treatment area or in the lobby. For the privacy and safety of all patients, the number of visitors must be kept to no more than two people per room. This permits staff to perform their duties quickly; helps ensure that we manage infection control, safety and security; and allows us to meet the needs of other patients. Depending on your condition, it may be necessary for a nurse or doctor to ask friends and family to return to the waiting room.

Visitors are required to wear visitor passes when entering the emergency department. It’s important for visitors to respect the privacy of all patients, be as quiet as possible and not stand near other patient treatment rooms. To protect patient confidentiality, we ask visitors not to wait in hallways.

What if I don’t speak English or have trouble speaking or understanding it?

Foreign language and sign language interpreters are available upon request. While an interpreter is being arranged, family members may be asked to assist.

Can I use my cell phone in the emergency department?

Please don’t use cell phones in the patient treatment area because they might interfere with cardiac monitoring systems and other medical equipment. You may use cell phones in the waiting area, or if you need to make a local phone call, a courtesy telephone is located in the emergency department lobby. Dial “9” first to be connected to an outside line. There is no charge for local calls.

Can I have something to drink or a snack during my emergency room visit?

We advise patients not to eat or drink anything without first consulting with a nurse. Visitors must consume all food and beverages in the lobby area. Visitors may use the hospital cafeteria located on the lower level. Vending machines are located on the 1st floor of the hospital across from the cafeteria.

If I need to visit the emergency room, will I be safe?

Froedtert South has established a code of behavior to ensure a safe and friendly environment for patients, visitors and staff. No acts of violence, swearing, threats or verbal abuse towards another patient, relative or staff member are tolerated. An initial warning is given, but if the behavior carries on, the staff, security or the police will ask the offender to leave.

Can my friends and family call to check on my condition?

We welcome inquiries about patients. We ask that just one person call the hospital to get information and then pass it along to other family members and friends. We want to keep your loved ones informed, but telephone calls take staff away from caring for patients.

Leaving the Emergency Department

When you are discharged from the emergency department or the hospital, you are given advice about follow-up care. This may include:

Instruction sheets

Drugs or prescriptions

Appointments for further tests

Appointments with doctors

Certificates – if appropriate please make sure that you have any medical certificates, Work Cover or Transport Accident Commission (TAC) certificates, and any other information that you need before leaving the hospital.

We will review your discharge instructions with you before you leave. You will also receive a written copy to take home. Please ask questions if you do not understand the instructions.

You are responsible for arranging a follow-up appointment with your primary health care provider or the physician recommended by one of our staff members. It is also your responsibility to check with your insurance plan for coverage.

About your bill

You may get more than one bill for the services you receive in the emergency department. Your bills are not based on how long you were in the emergency department, but rather on the treatments that were performed and the supplies that were used.

Concerns?

If you or your relatives have any concerns regarding your treatment, ask the nurse or doctor caring for you. We want all of our patients to be satisfied with their care and treatment in the emergency department. Balancing the needs of everyone in an emergency department is a complex and delicate task. Sometimes patients feel their needs may not have been fully met. If you were not satisfied with your visit, please ask for the contact information for the manager or send a letter to the hospital’s main address.

Quick Reminders

Someone who arrives in the emergency department after you may be seen before you if they need treatment more urgently.

It is important that you don’t eat or drink before being seen because this might interfere with tests or procedures we might have to perform.

Cell phones must be turned off before going into the treatment area, as they may interfere with hospital equipment.